Articles
Do You Have It?
Do You Have It?
Greg King
In Philippians 2:2, Paul says we are to be "like-minded", to be "of one mind". What kind of mind do we need? Paul says in Philippians 2:5 to, "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus". The "mind" of Christ means the "attitude" Christ exhibited. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus. The Philippians were having trouble getting along with each other because they didn't have the right mind; they didn't have the right attitude.
He says, “Let this mind be in you.” When I’m having trouble getting along with someone, more often than not, it’s because there’s a problem with my attitude. If you look closely at verse 5, it doesn’t say our attitude is to be dependent upon who the person is or what the person does. There is always a Christ-like response that is appropriate to every situation. If we have the mind of Christ, then we will respond the way Christ would respond.
So what does it mean to have the mind of Christ? What is the most Christ-like attitude on the face of this earth? What is the one word that best sums up the attitude Christ had as he dealt with people? Some would say love. Some might say I think a lot of people would say it would have to be love. Others would say patience, or grace. Those are certainly qualities exhibited by Christ in a powerful way. As important as all those traits might be, I think the word that best sums up Christ's attitude is "unselfishness" or "humility". I think that's the most Christ-like attitude we can demonstrate, and it's the attitude that Paul wants to convey as he stresses the importance of unity, of getting along with others.
When do conflicts develop? When do two people have trouble getting along with each other? It's when both of them want something different from the other, and both of them are determined to get what they want. That's when the conflict develops. I'm not happy because I'm not getting my way. We are living in a culture in which we are preoccupied with ourselves. Ours is a day of self-promotion, defending our own rights, taking care of ourselves first, winning by intimidation, pushing for first place, and a dozen other self-serving agendas.
What would happen if we all took on the attitude of unselfishness? What would happen if we were truly more interested in serving the needs of others than in having our own needs met? What would happen is that suddenly the conflicts would be gone and they would be replaced with harmony and unity and joy. What is your attitude?
